Election Surprise Tests Hun Sen’s Popularity, CPP’s Future Plans
By Colin Meyn and Kuch Naren - July 30, 2013 In the month leading up to Sunday’s national election, the face of Prime Minister Hun Sen was omnipresent in Cambodia. Every few meters along the main boulevards in Phnom Penh, Mr. Hun Sen, depicted on Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) campaign banners, smiled and waved at passersby. In the provinces, the prime minister was shown on large roadside billboards, folding his hands in respect to villagers or seated in a rice paddy and wearing a krama . In his speeches in the months leading up to the election, Mr. Hun Sen placed himself at the center of the CPP’s campaign platform. រយៈពេលមួយខែមុនការបោះឆ្នោតជាតិ កាលពីថ្ងៃអាទិត្យនេះ មុខរបស់លោកនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន គឺឃើញមាននៅគ្រប់ទីកន្លែងក្នុងប្រទេស កម្ពុជា។ នៅតាមបណ្ដោយមហាវិថីនានាក្នុងរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ លោក ហ៊ុន សែន ដែលមានមុខក្នុងផ្ទាំងឃោសនារបស់